Karasu Byouki
by Katu F And Kaylith A
Summary: A mysterious illness is killing all kinds- Dragons, Humans and Yokai alike. When *spoiler censor beeps* dies, Lykouleon begins to think that it is not a natural illness. (Chapter 3! Wai! Hope there aren't any Kitchel fans out there....>_>)
1. Prolouge

Rath wandered aimlessly around the grounds of the Dragon Castle. It was pouring down rain, he was almost guaranteed his privacy. He didn't want to talk to anyone. He felt like he was in pain. But...why? 'I don't get it,' the young knight thought, 'my chest...' He grumbled, hearing calls.  
  
"Rath!" Rune looked around.  
  
"RATH!! IF YOU DON'T-"  
  
"Alfeegi, please calm down..."  
  
Rune flipped a tangled wet lock out of his vision.  
  
"Where did Tetheus escape to?" Alfeegi growled.  
  
"I just saw him through those trees," said a calm voice.  
  
"My...My Lord!" Alfeegi and Rune sputtered.  
  
"What are you doing out here, my lord?" Rune asked.  
  
"You'll catch cold!" Alfeegi said, with a note of concern in his voice.  
  
"Rune," Lykouleon addressed the elf. "We need your help back in the castle."  
  
"Pardon me, sir?"  
  
"Thatz's condition has worsened." Lykouleon stated.  
  
Rune started off at a run. 'Thatz...I have to able to save this one! This illness has claimed one too many.... I haven't been able to prevent it!'  
  
"What?" Came a voice from above Lykouleon and Alfeegi. "Thatz is worse?" CRASH. KABOOM. Rath fell out of the tree, landing on top of Alfeegi. Standing, (On top of Alfeegi) Rath began at a run.  
  
"See ya in the palace, Lykouleon! Have fun in the mud, doormat!!"  
  
"DOORMAT?!!!" Alfeegi growled.  
  
'If you die.' Thatz told himself, his face flush with fever, his eyes unfocused. 'You'll regret it. You know that. '  
  
'But, ' said a second voice. 'If you live, won't that be worse? You have to put up with Rath, and Rune, and the Lord's rules.'  
  
'No! I'd rather live! I have things to look forward to!'  
  
'Like what?'  
  
'.'  
  
' In the distance, he heard a voice say, "Come on, Thatz. You can do this."  
  
'Rath is cheering for me? Rath, of all people! But.that would mean.he's actually concerned?'  
  
'No. He's not.'  
  
'He is! What are you? Leave me alone! I want to live!'  
  
Rune was using his powers as best he could, praying it would save his friend. He could feel the energy slowly leaving him. He could barely stand anymore. Thatz closed his eyes. 'No!' Rune gave a burst of healing energy, as his last bit of strength and consciousness left him. Rath caught him when he fell. Setting Rune in a chair, Rath crossed to the bed, and grasped at Thatz's wrist.  
  
Thump.......thump.......thump......  
  
A slow but steady heartbeat. Rath sighed with relief. Rune was able to save one. 


	2. Chapter one: The Death Of Tetheus of Bla...

Chapter One  
  
The death toll began to mount in the dragon clan. The Dragon Fighters were slowly dying. The humans too- even some of the Yokai. It was strange. Even Yokai were dying from this "plague". It was like Thatz, who was not picky on whom it killed. (Do you think Thatz would care about the Chicken he's eating? No way.Nooo way.)  
  
Thatz was showing a steady recovery.  
  
How could you tell?  
  
"ALL RIGHT! FOOD!"  
  
His appetite was back.  
  
However, Rune had not woken up, and Tetheus had not returned. Thatz and Rath sat by Rune's side as often as possible. (Mainly when not sleeping, eating or ticking off Alfeegi.)  
  
But the next day.  
  
(Author 1 (Roxanne): During lunch, no less.  
  
Author 2 (Kaylith): I'm pretty sure.  
  
Thatz: FOOD! ^_\^  
  
Roxanne: What is it with us that cute little smiley face?  
  
Kaylith: ??? Cute? It was a typo originally!  
  
Thatz: ::Sniff:: Typo?  
  
Roxanne: Look what happened! You made Thatz cry! ::Zap::  
  
Kaylith: Itai.)  
  
"What if Rune's sick, like I was?" Thatz wondered aloud, staring sadly at a full plate.  
  
"Thatz?! You're not eating?! Not even you feel guilty enough to loose your appetite!" Rath said, watching him.  
  
"Oh, shut up." Thatz growled.  
  
The door slammed open, and Ruwalk stumbled in, panting. It looked like he had ran a great distance.  
  
"More bad news?" Thatz asked, sinking lower in his chair.  
  
"No! Rune woke up!" Ruwalk smiled at them, and in half of a second, Thatz and Rath had dropped their chopsticks and were out the door.  
  
Rune was half-awake, sitting upright, his long blonde hair drawn into a cascading blanket of yellow. He seemed very distressed about something when his comrades entered, but that changed.  
  
"RUUUUUNE!!!" Thatz screamed, throwing his arms around the elf in a grip that could easily pop Nadil's head back off. (Roxanne: So we don't think that Lykouleon killed Nadil. It could have been Thatz!  
  
Kaylith: Keep telling yourself that, Roxy. Keep telling yourself that.)  
  
"I see you're feeling better." Rune smiled, trying not to get choked.  
  
"What about you?" Rath asked, allowing himself to fall backwards into a chair at the foot of the bed.  
  
"I'm alive." The elf replied, trying to pry himself from the human's grip.  
  
"Ah." Thatz laughed with embarrassment, and separated himself from Rune, and he bowed. "Arigatou."  
  
"Don't be so formal!" Rune laughed. "It's against your character! What would the readers think?"  
  
"Eh-heh-heh-heh."  
  
After chatting for a while, the knights of fire and earth left the water knight alone. Rune threw his legs over the side of his bed, and began towards Lord Lykouleon's court. He hadn't made it half way, when Kaistern went streaking in the opposite direction. Wheeling around, realizing whom he had just passed, he began to drag Rune outside.  
  
"Rune, can you heal someone?"  
  
"More than likely. What happened?"  
  
"Tetheus." Was Kaistern's reply.  
  
Being dragged to a room towards the back of the castle, in halls Rune had never traveled, but he was lost in his thoughts of despair. What he did not notice, was that the splendor of the main halls was saved here, most of the walls were blank.  
  
Does this illness spare no one? Rune thought. I don't know if my healing will work. I almost tapped into my life force to save Thatz.  
  
They came to a halt in front of what Rune supposed was Tetheus' room. Fashioned in the same manor as the other rooms, this room was as elegant as the rest of the castle.  
  
Tetheus' breathing had become very shallow. He was as white as the wall behind him, which was in contrast from his dark hair. Rune had only seen the humans this bad. He tried to heal the ill soul, but like so many before him, within twenty minutes, the Officer of Black was dead.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(RJ: Angst is your friiiiiend.. 


	3. Chapter Two: Rune's Possesion Part 1

(RJ: ANGST! PAIN! DENIAL! ON WITH IT!  
  
KA: Calm it, Roxy, or no pretty picture of Kurama.  
  
RJ: *sniffle*  
  
KA: Just keep writing.)  
  
~*~*~*~*~**~*~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Those fools." Said the Shadow. "They will all die."  
  
Like a movie playing in his head that he could not stop, Rune watched this creature reveal his plan to him.  
  
"They'll all pay for what they did to us!" cried a Shadow to his left.  
  
"We aren't able to take on a human form like they are!" screamed another.  
  
"Let us rip at the souls of those so tainted, and we will be allowed into the light!" Said the first.  
  
"But wait!" Rune called to them. They all turned, looking horribly startled. "Who is you wish to punish? Why?"  
  
"You!" hissed one. "You are of the dragon clan! What is it you want with us?"  
  
"I don't know, I'm here! Just, why? What, more importantly?"  
  
"You light-dwellers," Said the first. "You have taken Dusis, and even Arinas. There is nowhere for us. We will destroy all of you..."  
  
A single ray of light shone in the room. The shadow stepped forward. It was a wolf.  
  
"And make a land of our own."  
  
***  
  
Rune awoke with a start.  
  
His mane of blonde hair stringy and tangled, he was drenched in a cold sweat and panting heavily. His eyes darting to a pile of covers thrown in disarray on the floor, to an ancient armoire, to an ornate door, to his own sweating palms. Looking to his balcony, from which he could see dark clouds just pleading to burst, he felt anguish wash over him.  
  
"Thank god. It was all a dream." Rune stared at the windows.  
  
But, alas, Tetheus' death was not. You could feel it throughout the Dragon Castle. Even Rath wasn't begging to be let out of the castle to hunt demons- they were all to mournful over the Black Officer's death.  
  
Lykouleon had arranged for an honorable funeral for the Dragon Officer of Black; sparing no expense. Alfeegi had no complaints on this point and appointed himself as the head coordinator. On the appointed date even the heavens seemed to be mourning the Black Dragon Officers passing. The sky was a moody gray with rumbling cells of clouds floating as memorials.  
  
The three knights didn't oppose to "dressing up" this time.  
  
Rune's next three days where a blur. Not being able to speak to Lykouleon, and the depression of the funeral.it was almost overpowering for the elf.  
  
After the funeral, Rune separated himself from the others, wandering beyond the solemn castle grounds, into the dying city of Draqueen. The shopkeepers were no longer on the streets. no one was. But Rune saw a wounded animal on the side of the road.  
  
"Hey." Rune walked over to the creature. It looked like a dog. It had a gaping wound in its side.  
  
I can at least heal a dog, right?  
  
The dog limped into a sitting position.  
  
"You." It growled. It's mouth opened once with every word spoken. "Why do you mock me when I travel to your world?"  
  
"You! You're from that dream I-"  
  
The dog growled.  
  
"That was no dream, you humanoid filth. You were there." The dog grinned. "I think you will do fine."  
  
"Fine? What are you talking about?"  
  
The dog lunged at him, and before it even touched Rune, blackness consumed him.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ RJ: Okay. Itai. My fingers hurt from typing so fast.I must get to bed._ I have to get up at FOUR tomorrow.because I have a flight at SIX.  
  
KA: Wow. Zatza short chapter.  
  
RJ: I know! I know. I wanted them to watch Rune be all angst-y.  
  
KA: We like that.  
  
RJ: Yes we do. Now- bedtime! I GOTTA 6:05 AM FLIGHT TO CATCH, YOU KNOW! - -xxxxxxx  
  
KA: I think they get the point.  
  
RJ: See ya in ten days. FOR REAL THIS TIME. _ 


	4. Chapter two: Rune's Possesion Part 2

"What?"  
  
Rune looked around.  
  
"Black...  
  
"More black..."  
  
Rune looked up.  
  
"A blue light. Well that's just DANDY. FINE AND DANDY. Where the heck am I?"  
  
(KA: RUNE SAID DANDY! DAAAAAAAAAAANDY!  
  
RJ: No. You will not get that joke unless you watch a lot of Sakura Taisen/Sakura Wars.)  
  
"You are in my body. I am in yours." It paused for a laugh. "You might want to get up and move if you can. You are about to get run over."  
  
"Naaaani?"  
  
Up sat a wolf. It shot out of the way of an enormous vendor cart.  
  
If anyone had seen the same wolf before, they would have noticed two differences now: It now had kind, gentle eyes instead of harsh yellow ones. The slate gray fur was now highlighted with yellow.  
  
And, another thing: The wolf had the same sword and arrow wounds, still bleeding freely.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
A fox sat on top of a building, watching the wolf with narrowed eyes. Like the wolf, it's mouth moved once for each word every time it spoke.  
  
"That fool Ohkami...what is he thinking? Trying to pull off that wounded act? Pitiful. He's trying to get help from the humans. Only the dragons are trustworthy. I should go down there and put him out of his misery..."  
  
The fox leapt an almighty leap, down, in front of the wolf, which was terrified of him. It cringed, and turned its head away.  
  
"Ohkami? That is you, isn't it? No.you wouldn't turn in fear like that."  
  
"Please.. please don't hurt me.."  
  
"That's.that's not you. Whoever you are, let me see your eyes."  
  
Rune opened his eyes, and was looking into the face (at eye-level) of a handsome fox.  
  
"Blue eyes. I am sorry. Who are you?"  
  
"I-I am Rune, o-of the D-dragon Clan.I somehow switched bodies.with this dog."  
  
"Actually, Ohkami is a wolf." The fox laughed, a rich and rare sound. "You have no clue how that walking personification of pride would take offence to that."  
  
The fox's milky white pupils searched Rune's dark black ones.  
  
"You're blind." Rune thought aloud, something he really should stop doing.  
  
The fox smiled. "I was beginning to wonder if you were as well." He paused, and wrapped three of nine tails around him. "You see, I am not totally blind, but in three more days I will be. I can see most things now- all of them smeared together into colors. The closer an object is to my face, the sharper it is."  
  
"I'm sorry." Rune looked away, and dropped his gaze to his hands.erm, paws.  
  
There was a long moment of silence, when the fox turned to leave.  
  
"Wait, please. I can barely move.I need help." Rune was suddenly aware of how great the pain in his side was. The buildings began to swarm around him, and close in. He passed out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rune awoke in a pile of leaves. There was a fire crackling merrily several feet away. He was covered in someone's traveler's cloak, and feeling extremely dizzy. Bandages were wrapped over the wounds. He tried to sit up, but it was in vain; his legs would not hold him. His memories were a blur, but he remembered some young boy had been taking care of him. Rune looked around, and saw the boy asleep. He only looked to be a teenager. But then, he noticed something about the orange-haired boy. He had ears on op of his head, like a fox.and nine tails were wrapped around him for warmth. Two of them twitched, and the boy opened milky-white eyes.  
  
"Ah. Good. You seemed to have survived the bout of Karasu Byouki."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's a good name for it, isn't it?" The boy smiled, and then sighed. "I hate to admit it, but I am partly responsible of this 'plague'. You see... I created it."  
  
"You." Anger boiled up in Rune's veins. He stood and made a move to jump, but his legs fell from beneath him, landing him right back the bed of leaves. "You killed Tetheus! It's because of you I couldn't save him!"  
  
"I'm sorry for the Officer of Black's passing."  
  
"No, you're not. You're sitting there with that arrogant, over-intelligent smirk on your face.you have no clue how it hurts the Dragon Clan! We care about who we loose! Every one of them! You have no clue how it is to try and save someone, and then loose the battle for their lives. I know you are intelligent; I thank you for saving my life. But that's just one out of a million you've destroyed!" Rune's eyes were shadowed. He'd finally been able to say that. All of it. Not one of the dragons could begin to understand his sorrow, except maybe Lord Lykouleon. And Rune feared for him, as well. He wished he could stand, so he could attack the fox-boy who mocked him and his tears. Rune realized that he was crying.  
  
"I do realize your pain. There is not an once of comprehension in your veins that would allow knowledge of my pain and frustration.I loose my sight more each day, because I created the 'raven illness', known as 'Karasu Byouki'."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When creating it, I had to give the 'illness' a part of myself. I didn't mean to, but I gave it my sight. I also gave the illness another part of myself: my name. It took on my name, which was once 'Karasu'. I have no name now. I cannot be called Karasu."  
  
Silence. The silence was broken, not by a retort, but a snort of laughter. Rune and the fox-boy began to burst out laughing, almost cackling.  
  
"Ha ha.we seem to understand each other more than we thought." Rune laughed. "But, on a more serious note.ha ha ha.if we can ever stop laughing..."  
  
"In-hahaha-indeed!! It's just too ironic."  
  
(RJ: The two most intelligent characters have gone insane!! KA: And, [go figure] you like to use big, long words with these two. RJ: Oops. But 'Comprehend' is something I use on my peers! It's one of my favorite words!! They don't know what it means!!! KA: Wow.they don't? O.O)  
  
After laughing for a while, the two settled down.  
  
"Like I said, on a more serious note, how do I get back into my own body?" Rune asked.  
  
"When your body is seriously injured, he will come back to his own (relatively healed) body, and you will go back to your badly injured one."  
  
"So I have to endure the pain?"  
  
"Yup, that sounds about right."  
  
"Fun." Rune's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "Another question. Why did you make the Karasu Byouki?"  
  
"I was asked to. I am the second most powerful in the Animale Clan, and by far the most intelligent."  
  
"Animale?" Rune was puzzled.  
  
"An-I-ma-lae. It is the name of the clan that you saw. I was there too, hiding. I brought you there." He closed his eyes. "I thought you could help. I didn't think that Ohkami would use your body as a puppet."  
  
"But.you're helping out the dragon clan."  
  
"Yes. You( unlike Humans and Youkai( are trustworthy. I am a traitor to my clan to assist you. Actually.I would like to kill Ohkami. It is entirely his fault that I loose my sight in two days."  
  
"What? I was asleep for that long?" Rune was finally able to sit up.  
  
"Yes. And I'm sure Ohkami has found his way to the dragon castle."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(RJ: Woohoo! On with it! KA: Oh, just be quiet.)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Why did Rune run off like that?" Rath asked Thatz.  
  
"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" Thatz said, looking over the balcony they were sitting on. Hardly daring to believe his eyes, the two knights looked at the missing third.  
  
Rath leaped over the balcony. "Rune! Rune, where have you been? Only me and Lykouleon run off like that!"  
  
Rune's eyes where shadowed. Under the cloak he was wearing, he gripped his sword.  
  
"C'mon, man. We know it's hard, but we can deal with it together."  
  
In a flash of silver, Rath doubled over in pain. Rune stood on the other side of him, sword dyed red. Rath groaned in pain.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Rath!!" Thatz cried from the balcony. He moved to jump, but a firm grip held him back.  
  
"Don't. That is not Rune." A young man said from under a torn cloak. He had a wolf at his side, which had several healing wounds.  
  
"Get offa me! Rune! What are you doing?!" Thatz screamed. The man's grip held firm.  
  
"I'm right here." The wolf looked at Thatz. "Please, Thatz..."  
  
"Rune?" There was no denying those pure blue eyes.  
  
"Yes. That...that thing down there stole my body. I am in his."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let Rath wound him. That way, I'll be back in my own body."  
  
The man let go of Thatz's arm.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rath realized that it was not the knight of water that he knew so well. Lunging forward, Rath sliced at the imposter, and just missed. The fake leapt into the air, and came down, hitting Rath with the blunt side of his sword. Rath stabbed upwards at the exact moment, and ripped the sword out sideways. The imposter screamed in agony, and fell forward.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Move." Said the man, as the wolf fell limp. Muttering something in a strange language, the wolf vanished.  
  
"What? What did you do?" Thatz demanded.  
  
"Rune is back in his own body. I was getting rid of the imposter before he woke."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rath laughed.  
  
"It wasn't a demon that had possessed Rune? Eheheheheheheh."  
  
"No. It was one of my clan." The fox-boy looked away, ashamed. "I am sorry."  
  
"It's all right!" Thatz laughed, as he chomped on a chicken bone. "Aren't you hungry?"  
  
"I'm not allowed to eat in front of my superiors." His eyes flashed up to Lykouleon and Raselene.  
  
"Please," Said Lykouleon with a warm smile, "By all means, go ahead."  
  
"A.D-doumo a-arigatou." The boy began to eat. 


	5. Chapter three: The Death of Kitchel

Kitchel knew nothing, felt nothing, and heard nothing. She didn't see the creature. She was gone.  
  
Ringleys was thrown miles away by the overwhelming creature. And, only miles away was Draqueen.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Curse him!" Screamed the wolf. "Curse both of them! Curse them all!"  
  
"Master." Addressed an enormous creature in a gravelly monotone. "She is gone. I have three more targets."  
  
"No. Do not hurt the witch's foster child...Cesia."  
  
"Of course, sir..." It growled. "But the other two..."  
  
"No. Do not kill Tintlet either. I want her. When I take on a humanoid form, she will be mine..."  
  
"You, of all people, sire. You want one of them as a bride?"  
  
"Yes. Yes I do."  
  
"Absurd."  
  
The monster took flight to Draqueen.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Ah...what a PERFECTLY DREARY day." Thatz glared out of Rune's bedroom window. Rune flashed a smile, which caused him to wince afterwards. The clouds that Rune had seen three days ago had arrived, and were lighting and thundering and raining from high above.  
  
"Don't worry about it. It'll be nice again...soon..." Rune said quietly. It (at the moment) was quite a feat for him to even be awake, let alone talking.  
  
"But it's been raining for three months strait!! I took a break three days ago..." Thatz stopped dead. Three days ago had been Tetheus' funeral, and the day Rune had run off.  
  
There was a knock on the door, and Rune nodded to Thatz.  
  
"Rune says you can come in!" Thatz yelled.  
  
The door opened, and the fox-boy stepped in.  
  
"K-konnichi-wa...Gomen, am I interrupting something?"  
  
"No." Rune gave another smile-wince. "Please come in! You can save me from Thatz's complaining."  
  
"I saved a few more today." One of his many tails twitched. "I am sorry. I should have never created the Karasu Byouki."  
  
"No. Don't worry about it. You can't change the past, but you can alter the future." Rune smiled again, this time without wincing. "But how did you do it?"  
  
"I made an antidote. I knew I would need to, because the 'plague' does not avoid my clan, either. It literally saves no one. So they used most of my antidote, and I saved quite a bit for myself."  
  
"I kinda feel awkward around you. I dunno what to call you." Thatz said, making a quick point to look down at his feet.  
  
"Um...well..." He stared at one of his many tails.  
  
Rune thought for a moment.  
  
"How about Kune?" Rune smiled.  
  
(RJ: That's pronounced 'Koo-nay')  
  
"Kune?" He asked.  
  
"I like it! It's like the 'soo-nay' at the end of 'kitsune'!" Thatz laughed.  
  
"Kune. That's my name." He smiled.  
  
BAM.  
  
The three looked up.  
  
"Thatz. You might want to come here."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"K-Kitchel!"  
  
Kitchel was limp and pale. Her cropped hair fell over lifeless eyes. Ringleys flew over to Thatz's shoulder, crying.  
  
"I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry I couldn't save her!!" Ringleys sobbed. "I was thrown by that raven-thing!!"  
  
Thatz couldn't bear it. This wasn't right. Who could have done this?  
  
Kune looked in.  
  
"Did you say that it was a 'raven-thing'?"  
  
"Yes. It had four eyes."  
  
"Four eyes?!" Kune yelped like a snake had bitten him. "Where is his majesty Lord Lykouleon?"  
  
"He is right here." Said a kind, gentle voice from behind.  
  
"My lord," Kune bowed.  
  
"There is no need for such formalities..."  
  
"May I speak with you outside?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
As the two left the room, Rath entered.  
  
"Oh man...I'm sorry, Thatz. Rune can't move, but he wishes he could have been here for you." Rath couldn't think of anything else to say.  
  
Thatz just closed his eyes and wished he was somewhere else.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~**~~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"What is it, Kune?" Lykouleon looked at him, concern flooding his eyes.  
  
"One, how did you know my new name?"  
  
"I stopped by Rune's room."  
  
"Oh. Two: I think we have a problem. The thing that killed Thatz's friend...I think that Karasu Byouki has taken a physical form."  
  
"Why do you say that?"  
  
"It took the form of a raven-like creature. 'Karasu' would mean 'raven'. It has four eyes. I gave it my sight."  
  
"This is bad."  
  
"Very, my lord."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
You never know what a funeral is going to be like until you go. Some are sad, and some are actually downright funny. Kitchel's was the latter. Thatz had been asked to say a few words about her. He agreed, as long as he could stay in his room for a while (notice, that he did not designate how long a while is) afterwards.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I know when somebody's died, you're supposed to talk about them like they were some kinda saint. Well, Kitchel was an angel sent from above..but her halo was held up by horns." Everyone smiled, as Thatz went on with his short speech.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
(KA: BIG horns....O_o;; )  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
In the back, Rune stood, leaning against a wall, and clutching his wound. He was determined to be there, and yet he didn't want to draw attention to himself.  
  
"Rune!" Came Alfeegi's harsh whisper.  
  
"Alfeegi." Rune almost whispered. It was quite a feat for him to be standing, so talking was not really an option.  
  
"Alfeegi. Let Rune be a good friend." Kune walked up behind Alfeegi, and grabbed him by the collar of his tunic. "We should go sit somewhere."  
  
"Arigatou, Kune-san." Rune whispered.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"She is my next target." Said the creature. "Raseleane."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
RJ: PLOT TWIST! It was K-sama's idea. KA: Hee.  
  
RJ: K-sama.you're supposed to be helping me NOT be angst-y! KA: Oops. RJ: Must write! Why do we have to start school on Monday?! KA: ARG! 


	6. Chapter Four: The Death of his beloved

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KA: *Victory sign* Nyahaha!  
  
RJ: ... She takes over for this part of the chapter...seeing as I can't think of a STINKING IDEA!  
  
KA: And I brought Cesia...We thought that you might think that we killed her with out telling you.  
  
RJ: Not a bad idea though..  
  
KA: NO.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Raseleane wiped away a small tear as she prepared some refreshments in Draqueen's spacious kitchen. "Poor Thatz...." she said quietly as she began to put the food onto trays.   
  
"I know....here....let me get those," Cesia said as she looked over at her and reached for the treys. Raseleane nodded and allowed the trays to be taken; then sighed and began to fix more as Cesia carried them out. The oppressing depression that permeated the halls of Draqueen as a result of Karasu Byouki was weighing heavily on her. Her thoughts drifted off to those it had claimed as she continued to work. While dwelling on these bittersweet thoughts she thought she saw a flash of black. She turned and saw before her....................  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
KA: Nyanya! Not telling just yet! ^. ~  
  
RJ: Oooohhhhhhh! Cliffhanger! o_0  
  
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After placing the trays on a refreshment table Cesia looked around; trying to find Rath. Instead of finding Rath, however, she found Lykouleon and someone she had never seen before. A someone with fox ears and nine furry fox tails... As she walked in their direction Ruwalk ran over to Lykouleon.   
  
"Lykouleon! ...We can't find Rath.. again........" he whispered on Lykouleon's ear rather breathlessly. Lykouleon simply smiled and said, "I'm sure he'll show up when he's ready," He then turned his face to the front and saw where Kitchel lay. The gentle smile was gone, and now his face was full of a great grief.  
  
"As Dragon King I should be able to prevent tragedies like this." he said quietly as he felt the sharp cold pang of guilt. Just as Ruwalk was about to console his childhood friend a loud clatter was heard from the kitchen as a trey fell and plates shattered. Lykouleon and Kune sprang up at the same instant and Ruwalk straightened in surprise.  
  
"Sir Lykouleon! Raseleane is in there!" Cesia said urgently. Within a split second Lykouleon was running in the direction of the sound; closely followed by Kune, Ruwalk, and Cesia. The kitchen was in utter chaos. Plates, glasses, and more lay on the ground in shatters. However, Lykouleon saw none of this..all that filled his vision was Raseleane.  
  
She lay on the tiled floor; her eyes wide yet unseeing, those eyes that Lykouleon loved. Lykouleon rushed forward and gathered her thin, limp frame close as several bitter tears rolled down his agony-creased face.   
  
"This is a sad day indeed." Kune said to himself. He then winced, remembering it was he who had created the monster that was Karasu Byouki. Kune turned, hung his head, and silently left the room.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
RJ: I'M BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!  
  
KA: Save yourselves!  
  
~*~*~~**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Lykouleon didn't want to bury Raseleane just yet. He knew she was gone, but he denied it as well. Cesia was beating herself up that it should have been herself instead of Raseleane. Thatz knew of the access sorrow, but he was still alone in his room, not wanting anyone. Kune could no longer hold either form, that of a nine-tailed-fox or of a half-human.  
  
He was sitting alone on the grounds, weak from holding transformations, and weak from hiding his injuries. Hundreds of nicks and scratches soaked through almost semi-transparent fur the colors of dying flames. They covered glowing ash-colored wings. One cut all the way around his throat, and it was bleeding badly.  
  
Rune was now strong enough to stand, and move freely around the castle as long as Alfeegi didn't show up. He saw something glowing from a window he walked past. He walked outside (thank heaven he was on ground level) and followed the light. He saw Kune with all described in the above paragraph.  
  
"Kune!" Rune said, walking over to him. (Running was NOT an option)  
  
"Rune?" Kune asked, startled, turning un-seeing, blind eyes on him.  
  
"Are you alright?" Rune surveyed the scratches that were still bleeding, and tried in vain to heal them.  
  
"These are the sins that I've commited." Kune said, his blind eyes weighed with sorrow. "This one across my neck.....It is the sin of Karasu Byouki. It still bleeds because it still lives."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
RJ: Dang, that was a short chapter... BUT I KNOW WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT!  
  
KA: I'm free! ...What?  
  
RJ: THE FINALE!  
  
KA: :P Cheater. 


End file.
